Happy St. Nicholas Day!  Last year, during my student teaching at a Waldorf School, I was first exposed to this interesting tradition.  You shine up your shoes, or your parents, and leave them out at night for the old St. Nick to see with a few carrots in them for his horses to snack on.  Then, in the morning, you will find peppermint sticks, golden nuts, chocolates or other such goodies inside!  His horses may have even left a little hay or nibbled the carrot.  This was most definitely the students and my little boys favorite part.  What is more exciting than a horse?  Nothing, in the eyes of a two-year old.  Absolutely nothing…except maybe the prospect of eating a candy cane at some juncture in the day.  That is pretty exciting too.